Experts recently advised all Americans to wear a mask, especially outside in situations when they can’t remain socially distanced from others.
The experts include:
- Kimberly Prather, a distinguished chairwoman in Atmospheric Chemistry, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
- Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech.
- Dr. Donald Milton, a professor of environment health at The University of Maryland School of Public Health.
Should you wear a mask outside?
Three experts recently talked to CBS News about what people need to do to stay safe from the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 1 million people across the world as of Wednesday morning.
The tips include practicing physical distancing while indoors — “the farther the better,” CBS News reports — and wearing a face mask around others.
- “Face masks not only lessen the amount of virus coming from people who have the infection, but also lessen the chance of you inhaling the virus,” according to CBS News.
The same applies in outdoor settings — “Wear a face mask if you cannot physically distance by at least 6 feet or, ideally, more,” according to CBS News.
- “Whether you are indoors or outdoors, remember that your risk increases with the duration of your exposure to others,” CBS News reports.
What does the CDC say?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a simple recommendation — wear a mask when you’re in a public setting.
- “CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.”